HABUMUGISHA v. UBUSHINJACYAHA
The Court held that Habumugisha Assouman alias Habimana’s appeal lacked merit because the 15-year sentence imposed by the lower court was already the minimum sentence available in law for the offence of defilement of a child followed by cohabitation as husband and wife; therefore, it could not be further reduced on...
Source-derived case information.
- Parties
- Appellant: HABUMUGISHA Assouman alias Habimana; Respondent: UBUSHINJACYAHA
- Jurisdiction
- Rwanda
- Procedural Posture
- Criminal Appeal / Appeal to the Court of Appeal
- Outcome
- Appeal dismissed as unfounded.
- Legal Topics
- Defilement of a Child, Cohabitation as Husband and Wife, Mitigation of Sentence, Minimum Lawful Sentence, Reduction of Punishment
- Source Language
- rw
Source-derived case record
Summary, issues, holding and outcome
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Parties
HABUMUGISHA Assouman alias Habimana
Appellant
UBUSHINJACYAHA
Respondent
Procedural Posture
Criminal Appeal / Appeal to the Court of Appeal
Legal Issues
- 1 Whether a sentence already reduced to the minimum provided by law can be reduced further on grounds of mitigating circumstances.
- 2 Whether the appeal from Habumugisha Assouman alias Habimana had merit.
- 3 Whether the cited case RPAA 00245/2023/CA was comparable to the present case.
Ratio Decidendi
The Court held that Habumugisha Assouman alias Habimana’s appeal lacked merit because the 15-year sentence imposed by the lower court was already the minimum sentence available in law for the offence of defilement of a child followed by cohabitation as husband and wife; therefore, it could not be further reduced on mitigating grounds.
Court Disposition
Appeal dismissed as unfounded.
Orders
- The judgment RPA 00223/2024/HC/RSZ rendered by the High Court/Chamber of Rusizi on 19/06/2025 remains unchanged.
- The sentence of fifteen (15) years’ imprisonment imposed on Habumugisha Assouman alias Habimana is maintained.
Full Case Text
Judgment text and source record
4 paragraphs
HABUMUGISHA v. UBUSHINJACYAHA [Rwanda URUKIKO RW’UBUJURIRE – RPAA 00629/2025/CA (Rukundakuvuga, P.J., 11 Gashyantare 2026] Amategeko agenga ibyaha n’ibihano – Icyaha cyo gusambanya umwana no kubana nawe nk’umugabo n’umugore – Gusaba kongera kugabanyirizwa ibihano – Uwagabanyirijwe igihano kugera ku gihano gito giteganywa n’itegeko, ntashobora kongera kugabanyirizwa hashingiwe ku mpamvu nyoroshyacyaha. Incamake y’ikibazo: Bankundiye Marie yatanze ikirego mu Bugenzacyaha avuga ko Habumugisha Assouman yamusambanyirije umwana witwa U.J w’ imyaka 16, akanamutera inda. U.J avuga ko amaze kumenya ko atwite, yasanze Habumugisha Assouman maze babana nk'umugore n'umugabo mu gihe kingana n'umwaka ndetse babyarana n’umwana, ariko nyuma yaho, uregwa yaje kumusiga mu nzu ajya gushaka undi mugore. Nyuma y’iperereza, Ubushinjacyaha bwamuregeye Urukiko Rwisumbuye rwa Rusizi bumukurikiranyeho icyaha cyo gusambanya umwana no kubana nawe nk’umugabo n’umugore. Urukiko Rwisumbuye rwa Rusizi rwamuhamije icyo cyaha, rumuhanisha igihano cy’igifungo cy’imyaka cumi n’itanu (15), ajurira mu Rukiko Rukuru/Urugereko rwa Rusizi, narwo rukomeza kumuhamya icyaha ndetse runemeza ko akomeza guhanishwa igifungo cy’imyaka cumi n’itanu (15) yahawe. Habumugisha Assouman yongeye kujuririra Urukiko rw’Ubujurire, avuga ko asaba kongera kugabanyirizwa ibihano, hashingiwe ku mpamvu nyoroshyacyaha zo kuba yemera icyaha ku buryo budashidikanywaho; kuba asanzwe yitwara neza no kuba ari ubwa mbere akoze icyaha. Ubushinjacyaha busubiza buvuga ko hakurijwe ibiteganywa n’Ingingo ya 2(a) y’Itegeko Nº 059/2023 ryo ku wa 04/12/2023 rihindura Itegeko Nº 68/2018 ryo ku wa 30/08/2018 riteganya ibyaha n’ibihano muri rusange, igihano yahawe ari cyo gito gishoboka; bityo akaba adashobora kongera kugabanyirizwa. Uru Rukiko rwemeje ko ubujurire bwa Habumugisha Assouman alias Habimana nta shingiro bufite kuko igihano cy’igifungo cy’imyaka 15 yahawe n’Urukiko Rukuru ari cyo gito gishoboka ku cyaha yahamijwe cyo gusambanya umwana byakurikiwe no kubana nawe nk’umugabo n’umugore, bityo kikaba kidashobora kongera kugabanywa. Incamake y’icyemezo: Uwagabanyirijwe igihano kugera ku gihano gito giteganywa n’itegeko, ntashobora kongera kugabanyirizwa hashingiwe ku mpamvu nyoroshyacyaha. Ubujurire nta shingiro bufite.
Amategeko yashingiweho: Itegeko Nº 059/2023 ryo ku wa 04/12/2023 rihindura Itegeko Nº 68/2018 ryo ku wa 30/08/2018 riteganya ibyaha n’ibihano muri rusange, ingingo ya 2. Imanza zifashishijwe: Urubanza RPAA 00771/2025/CA, rw’Ubushinjacyaha na Tugirimana Eric Urubanza, rwaciwe n’Urukiko rw’Ubujurire ku wa 04/02/2026 Urubanza I. IMITERERE Y’URUBANZA [1] Ku itariki ya 28/06/2024, Bankundiye Marie yatanze ikirego mu Bugenzacyaha avuga ko Habumugisha Assouman mu kwezi kwa 01/2023, ari mu Mudugudu wa Kinamba, Akagari ka Pera, Umurenge wa Bugarama, Akarere ka Rusizi, yamusambanyirije umwana witwa U.J1 w’ imyaka 16 (yavutse tariki ya 12/11/2006), akanamutera inda. U.J amaze kumenya ko atwite yasanze Habumugisha Assouman babana nk'umugore n'umugabo mu gihe kingana n'umwaka ndetse babyarana n’umwana; nyuma Habumugisha Assouman yaje gusiga U.J mu nzu ajya gushaka undi mugore. Nyuma y’iperereza, Ubushinjacyaha bwamuregeye Urukiko Rwisumbuye rwa Rusizi bumukurikiranyeho icyaha cyo gusambanya umwana no kubana nawe nk’umugabo n’umugore. [2] Mu rubanza RP 00365/2024/TGI/RSZ rwaciwe ku wa 26/9/2024, Urukiko Rwisumbuye rwa Rusizi rwamuhamije icyo cyaha, rumuhanisha igihano cy’igifungo cy’imyaka cumi n’itanu (15), ajurira mu Rukiko Rukuru/Urugereko rwa Rusizi, narwo rukomeza kumuhamya icyaha ndetse runemeza ko akomeza guhanishwa igifungo cy’imyaka cumi n’itanu (15) yahawe. [3] Habumugisha Assouman alias Habimana yongeye kujuririra Urukiko rw’Ubujurire, urubanza rwe ruhabwa RPAA 00629/2025/CA, iburanisha mu ruhame rishyirwa ku wa 09/02/2026. Uwo munsi ugeze, Habumugisha Assouman alias Habimana yitabye yunganiwe na Me Ndwaniye Pierre Claver, naho Ubushinjacyaha buhagarariwe na Niyonkuru Françoise, Umushinjacyaha ku rwego rw’Igihugu. [4] Mu bujurire bwe, Habumugisha Assouman alias Habimana n’umwunganizi we nta kindi basabye uretse kongera kugabanyirizwa ibihano, hashingiwe ku mpamvu nyoroshyacyaha zo kuba yemera icyaha ku buryo budashidikanywaho, kuba asanzwe yitwara neza, kuba ari ubwa mbere akoze icyaha, kuba yarashutswe n’umukobwa amubwira ko akuze ndetse akaba atari agamije kumurarura ahubwo we yari agamije kubana nawe nk’umugabo n’umugore. Basaba ko hashingirwa ku rubanza RPAA 00245/2023/CA rwaciwe kuwa 22/12/2024 haburana Muhawenimana Jacques n’Ubushinjacyaha, rwahanishije uregwa igifungo cy’imyaka cumi n’umwe (11) rushingiye ku kuba yari akiri umwana, ari bwo akivamu bugimbi. 1 Iyi ni impine y’amazi yifashishijwe mu rwego rwo kurinda umwirondoro we.
[5] Ubushinjacyaha buvuga ko hakurijwe ibiteganywa n’Ingingo ya 2(a) y’Itegeko Nº 059/2023 ryo ku wa 04/12/2023 rihindura Itegeko Nº 68/2018 ryo ku wa 30/08/2018 riteganya ibyaha n’ibihano muri rusange, igihano yahawe ari cyo gito gishoboka; bityo akaba adashobora kongera kugabanyirizwa kandi ko ibyo byatanzweho umurongo mu manza zitandukanye zaciwe n’uru Rukiko. Naho ku bijyanye n’urubanza asaba ko rwashingirwaho, Ubushinjacyaha buvuga ko rudahuye n’urwe kuko muri urwo rubanza uregwa atahamijwe icyaha cyo gusambanya umwana byakurikiwe no kubana nawe nk’umugabo n’umugore. UKO URUKIKO RUBIBONA [6] Ikibazo cyo kugabanya igihano kubera impamvu nyoroshyacyaha mu gihe igihano cyatanzwe ari cyo gito gishoboka, cyatanzweho umurongo mu rubanza RPAA 00076/2024 rwaciwe n’uru Rukiko ku wa 20/01/2025 haburana Ubushinjacyaha na Burindwi Jean Bosco2 rusobanura imikoreshereze y’ingingo ya 2, (a) y’Itegeko Nº 59/2023 ryo ku wa 04/12/2023 ihindura Ingingo ya 60 y’Itegeko Nº 68/2018 ryo ku wa 30/08/2018 riteganya ibyaha n’ibihano muri rusange, iteganya ko iyo umucamanza yemeje impamvu nyoroshyacyaha, igifungo cya burundu gishobora kugabanywa ariko ntikijye munsi y’igihano cy’igifungo cy’imyaka 15. [7] Urukiko rw’Ubujurire rwemeje ko uwagabanyirijwe igihano kugera ku gihano gito giteganywa n’itegeko adashobora kongera kugabanyirizwa. Uwo murongo niwo wakomeje gukurikizwa mu manza zitandukanye zaciwe n’uru Rukiko, uruheruka muri uwo mujyo akaba ari urubanza RPAA 00771/2025/CA rwaciwe ku wa 04/02/2026, Ubushinjacyaha buburana na Tugirimana Eric3. [8] Kubera izo mpamvu, uru Rukiko rurasanga ubujurire bwa Habumugisha Assouman alias Habimana nta shingiro bufite kuko igihano cy’igifungo cy’imyaka 15 yahawe n’Urukiko Rukuru ari cyo gito gishoboka ku cyaha yahamijwe cyo gusambanya umwana byakurikiwe no kubana nawe nk’umugabo n’umugore4, bityo kikaba kidashobora kongera kugabanywa. [9] Naho ibyo Me Ndwaniye Pierre Claver asaba ko hashingirwa ku rubanza RPAA 00245/2023/CA rwaciwe ku wa 22/12/2024 haburana Ubushinjacyaha na Muhawenimana Jacques wahanishijwe igifungo cy’imyaka cumi n’umwe (11), uru Rukiko rurasanga urwo rubanza rudashobora kugereranwa n’uru kuko Habumugisha Assouman aregwa gusambanya umwana byakurikiwe no kubana nawe nk’umugabo n’umugore bihanishwa igifungo cya burundu, mu gihe Muhawenimana Jacques we yahamijwe icyaha cyo gusambanya umwana ariko bitakurikiwe no kubana nawe nk’umugabo n’umugore, ibyo bikaba bihanishwa igifungo kitari munsi y’imyaka 20 ariko kitarenze imyaka 25; haba hari impamvu nyoroshyacyaha, icyo gihano kikaba gishobora kugabanywa kikagera ku myaka icumi (10). Akaba ari muri urwo rwego Muhawenimana Jacques yahanishijwe imyaka 11, ariko muri uru bikaba bitashoboka, kuko nk’uko byasobanuwe, n’iyo 2 Reba igika cya 17-18 cy’urubanza RPAA 00076/2024/CA 3 Reba igika cya 5 cy’urubanza RPAA 00771/2025/CA 4 Hashingiwe ku ngingo ya 14 agace ka (5) y’Itegeko nº 059/2023 ryo ku wa 04/12/2023 rihindura Itegeko Nº 68/2018 ryo ku wa 30/08/2018 riteganya ibyaha n’ibihano muri rusange, icyo cyaha guhanishwa igihano cy’igifungo cya burundu
hari impamvu nyoroshyacyaha, igihano gito gishobora gutangwa ku cyaha nk’icyo Habumugisha Assouman yahamijwe ni igifungo cy’imyaka 15. II. ICYEMEZO CY’URUKIKO [10] Rwemeje ko ubujurire bwa Habumugisha Assouman alias Habimana nta shingiro bufite; [11] Rwemeje ko imikirize y’urubanza RPA 00223/2024/HC/RSZ rwaciwe n’Urukiko Rukuru/Urugereko rwa Rusizi ku wa 19/06/2025, idahindutse; [12] Rutegetse ko igihano cy’igifungo cy’imyaka cumi n’itanu (15) Habumugisha Assouman alias Habimana yahanishijwe n’Urukiko Rukuru/Urugereko rwa Rusizi, kigumyeho.